Inspired by the French Revolution (From Harrow Times)

Inspired by the French Revolution

5:08pm Friday 18th November 2011 in Interviews By Melanie Dakin

Success as a writer is measured by whether you can make a living from it and there’s no better example than bestselling Oxhey historical novelist Katharine McMahon, whose 2007 book The Rose of Sebastopol was shortlisted for the Richard & Judy Book Club.

Katharine’s eighth book, Season of Light, takes readers on an pulse-quickening gallop through the French Revolution. A glorious tribute to Charles Dickens and with the authoritative tone of a latter-day Jane Austen, it is Katharine’s most mature work to date.

“I wanted to create a Jane Austen-type heroine from the French Revolution and I was inspired by the story of Jane’s cousin Eliza de Feuillide. She married a French marquis who was guillotined in 1794,“ says Katharine. “This book has been one of the most difficult in terms of the scope of the material. It’s a massive subject to find your way through.

“Historically, the French Revolution is impenetrable with scholars adopting different angles on key events. I managed to find a couple of catalysts in the September Massacres, the mass killing of Parisian prisoners in 1792 and the assassination of Jean-Paul Marat by Charlotte Corday in 1793.

“The revolution sent huge shockwaves throughout England, as well. There were all these French emigrees in exile knocking around, who were aristocratic and high-born with no skills and not much money. England was on the side of persecuted aristocracy and frightened by the wicked revolutionaries.“

A former teacher, Katharine is now able to devote her time purely to literature. She runs a weekly book club at Watford Palace Theatre, is involved with Arts Council East’s Escalator programme for developing artists and leads creative writing courses at the Arvon Foundation. She will also be appearing in conversation with Jenni Murray for Chorleywood Litfest this month.

“Jenni does this wonderful journalistic thing as a storyteller. She can be telling you about an incident that will lead off into a memory or anecdote about her past; it’s a lovely relaxed way of writing.“

In addition to her Chorleywood Litfest appearance on November 19 at Chorleywood Memorial Hall, Katharine will be giving a book signing at Waterstone’s in St Albans on December 1.

Details: www.katharinemcmahon.com